Soldier Returns Home To Discover His Dog Was Sold on Craigslist

When Brandon Harker returned home from his nine-month deployment to Afghanistan, he was especially looking forward to being reunited with his yellow Labrador Retriever, Oakley. Oakley was placed in the care of someone Harker considered to be a friend, but the person proved to be untrustworthy, having given Oakley away with an advertisement placed on Craigslist.

Harker describes Oakley as being a big baby who thinks he’s a lap dog. He’s good with children and other dogs. He’s two years and four months old.

Harker was informed that he would not be able to pick up his dog as he was returning to Joint Base Lewis-McCord in Washington state after the “friend” admitted to no longer having the dog. The dog was supposedly relinquished in May, but Craigslist users reported seeing an ad for a dog matching Oakley’s description back in February.

Have You Seen Me?

Harker has placed another ad on Craigslist in an effort to find his beloved dog:

“[Oakley] has a unique coat, on his face he has spots of a darker yellow (champagne) he also has spots of the same color going down his sides and legs. If anyone has any information on this and can help me please do. I am just trying to get him back to me since he was wrongfully given away or sold with out my permission while I was deployed. I will also be able to verify the dog is mine because he is micro-chipped and registered to me. Once again thank you to everyone who sees this and tries to help.”

If anyone would understand the travesty of a soldier’s missing dog, it would be the Dog Files fans. Let’s support 1st Lieutenant Brandon Harker, who has served our country, and help find his dog. Any information regarding this case should be directed towards Harker’s Craigslist ad.

About Kenn Bell

After adopting an American Foxhound/Pointer mix named Max from a local shelter, Kenn Bell decided to combine his skills as a filmmaker with his immense love of all things canine to create the very best Dog Video Series and Website on the web.

Kenn’s mission with the Dog Files is to let the world know that dog’s deserve our love, care and respect.

I am so so very sorry on behalf of all dog/animal lovers. That is the absolute lower thing anyone could do to ANYONE let alone someone who’s serving the country for everyone else’s rights and freedoms. I really truly hope the person that received you dog has the decency to return him to you. If they do not, may god have mercy on their soul, if they have one….

I also am curious as to the general area where the dog may be. We should ALL post it on our local Craigslist. I am so sad for him AND the dog. I hope the people that have him have the same sadness and give him back ! In my eyes NOTHING could come close to that feeling of doing whats right. I wish u all the luck !!

Just curious…..if the dog is microchipped, can a flag be put on the file of that chip number for when the new owner brings it to the vet or if the dog shows up at the humane society?
What a d’bag this so called friend is for doing this to his dog while he is away serving our country.

Does the ‘so-called friend’s have any information on who the people are that he gave the dog to? Or did he just give the dog away without asking a name? Would Craigslis have a record of who answered the ad…ISP addresses? Nothing is ever really deleted from a computer….can he confiscate his friends PC and put an auditor on it to check for deleted history?